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Polk R200 50th AE vs Polk R200 Comparison

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Polk R200 50th AE

Passive Bookshelf | 51-38k Hz

Polk Audio Reserve R200 50th Anniversary Edition
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Polk R200

Passive Bookshelf | 51-38k Hz

Polk Audio Reserve R200
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Polk R200 50th AE Polk R200 50th AE
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Polk R200 Polk R200
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Polk R200 50th AE
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Polk R200
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Polk R200 50th AE vs Polk R200 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R200, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Polk Audio

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Polk R200 50th AE and Polk R200 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Polk R200 50th AE Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Ring Radiator Tweeter
  • 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer
  • 51-38k Hz Frequency Response
  • 86 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:30-200watts
  • Weight:8.80kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 358.0" x 7-9/16" x 13-15/16"( 358.0 x 193.0 x 355.0mm )

Polk R200 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
  • 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer
  • 51-38k Hz Frequency Response
  • 86 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:30-200watts
  • Weight:8.69kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 359.0" x 7-9/16" x 13-15/16"( 359.0 x 193.0 x 355.0mm )

R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R200 are members of Polk Audio's Reserve series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Polk Audio Reserve Series History
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
Polk R700
  
Floor-standing 38-38k Hz 88 dB8Ω 2 x 8"
Polk R500
  
Floor-standing 49-38k Hz 87 dB8Ω 2 x 5.25"
Polk R600
  
Floor-standing 43-38k Hz 87.5 dB8Ω 2 x 6.5"
Polk R200
Bookshelf 51-38k Hz 86 dB8Ω 1 x 6.5"
Polk R400
  
Center Channel 48-39K Hz 89 dB8Ω 2 x 6.5"
Polk R100
  
Bookshelf 58-39k Hz 86 dB8Ω 1 x 5.25"
Polk R300
  
Center Channel 65-38k Hz 86.5 dB8Ω 2 x 5.25"
Polk R200 50th AE
Bookshelf 51-38k Hz 86 dB8Ω 1 x 6.5"

What size room are the Polk R200 50th AE and Polk R200 speakers good for?

The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size and max power parameters:

Listening Environment* Polk R200 50th AE Polk R200
Near-field Poor Poor
Small Room Poor Average
Mid-size Room Good Good
Large Room Good Average
Very Large Room Average Poor

(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2, Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: > 400 sq. ft / 36 m2. Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening position, speaker locations, etc.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Polk R200 50th AE and Polk R200 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Drivers

Both R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R200 are 2-way speakers.

Driver Polk R200 50th AE Polk R200
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 1 x 6.5-inch 1 x 6.5-inch

R200 50th Anniversary Edition features a 1" ring radiator Pinnacle with an integrated waveguide Ring Radiator Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer . On the other hand, the R200 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3000Hz.

Frequency Response

R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R200 has exactly the same frequency range of 51-38k Hz.

Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.

Low Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

R200 50th Anniversary Edition
R200
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Polk R200 50th AE
Polk R200
Min
Average
Max

None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.

Impedance and Sensitivity

R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R200 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 86 dB.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

R200 50th Anniversary Edition
R200
Min
Average
Max

Power Range

Power range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.

R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R200 has the same power range of 30-200 watts.

Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

R200 50th Anniversary Edition features Binding post type posts and R200 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Polk R200 50th AE Terminals
Polk R200 50th AE's Binding post terminals

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R200 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.

If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.

Polk R200  Port
Polk R200 Port

Physical Specs

Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Polk R200 50th AE's and Polk R200's external dimensions. Polk R200 50th AE has external dimensions of 358.0 x 193.0 x 355.0mm ( 24-28inch x 7-9/16inch x 13-15/16inch ) whereas Polk R200 has external dimensions of 359.0 x 193.0 x 355.0mm ( 14-1/8 x 7-9/16 x 13-15/16inch) .

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk R200 50th AE and Polk R200 in scale.

Polk R200 50th AE vs Polk R200 Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Polk R200 50th AE and Polk R200 Size and External Dimensions

Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited. The base surface area of the Polk R200 50th AE is approximately 685.2cm2 / 106.2inch2 and base area of the Polk R200 is approximately 685.2cm2 / 106.2inch2.

Here is an another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:

Polk R200 50th AE vs Polk R200 Size Comparison on a Media Console
Size Comparison image of Polk R200 50th AE and Polk R200 on a Media Console
Weight Comparison

The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Polk R200 50th AE weighs 8.80kg / 19.4lbs and the Polk R200 weighs 8.69kg / 19.1lbs. This makes the R200 50th Anniversary Edition 1% heavier than the R200.

Here is a comparison of how R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R200's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.

Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Polk R200 50th AE
Polk R200
Min
Average
Max

What's in the Box of Polk R200 50th AE?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of R200 50th Anniversary Edition:
  • 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
  • 2 Grilles
  • Owners Manual
  • Online Registration
  • Certificate Of Aunthenticity
  • What's in the Box of Polk R200?

    Here are the items that come with the R200:
  • 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
  • 2 Grilles
  • Owners Manual
  • Online Registration

  • Reasons to choose Polk Audio Reserve R200 50th Anniversary Edition over Polk Audio Reserve R200
    Height 358mm vs 359mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces

    Reasons to choose Polk Audio Reserve R200 over Polk Audio Reserve R200 50th Anniversary Edition

    Price per pair* 749USD vs 1249USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
    Polk R200 50th AE vs Polk R200 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Polk Audio Reserve R200 50th Anniversary Edition Polk Audio Reserve R200
    Brand Polk Audio Polk Audio
    Speaker Type Bookshelf speakers Bookshelf speakers
    Power Range 30-200 watts 30-200 watts
    Sensitivity 86 dB 86 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Impedance 3.8 ohms 3.8 ohms
    Frequency Response 51-38k Hz 51-38k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 1 1
    Woofer Size 6.5" 6.5"
    Woofer Composition Polypropylene Polypropylene Turbine Cone
    Woofer Surround Material Rubber Rubber
    Tweeter Size 1" 1"
    Tweeter Type Ring Radiator Pinnacle Ring Radiator
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver No No
    Crossover Frequency n/a 3000Hz
    Firing Direction rear rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 358.0mm (14.1") 359.0mm (14.1")
    Width 193.0mm (7.6") 193.0mm (7.6")
    Depth 355.0mm (14") 355.0mm (14")
    Weight 8.80kg (19.4lbs) 8.69kg (19.1lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish MDF/Wood veneer MDF/Vinyl
    Available Colors Cherry Black, Walnut, White
    Mounting Bracket No No
    Recommended Stand Height 24-28" 24-28"
    Grille Yes Yes
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs No No
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Years 5 Years
    Labor Warranty 5 Years 5 Years

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